Nice nettle and Laurel hedge
By Bernard
Cambridgeshire,
United Kingdom 
Thanks very much to all of you who answered my question about the nice nettle. I'm delighted that I can use it as ground cover. it will be such a good background to shrubs. Now for something completely different. As will be seen from the photograph, part of the southern boundary of the garden has a 6ft Laurel hedge with a narrow bed in front and then lawn. I'm not keen on taking the grass right up to the hedge as I would like to have a dividing contrast between the two greens. The bed receives no direct sun, but the light level is pretty good and it has received a thick mulch of compost mixed with topsoil. Does anyone have suggestions for a low-growing perennial that would be happy in this situation?
20 Sep, 2008
Answers
Another advantage of geranium macrorrhizum is that it tolerates very dry conditions. Being very close to the hedge, the ground will not receive much moisture
20 Sep, 2008
Perennial geraniums are a great favourite of mine and many would be happy in this situation. They form dense low-growing clumps and are excellent at keeping the weeds out.I would go for Geranium macrorrhizum with cerise flowers in spring and aromatic leaves. Easy to grow and easy to split and make new plants. I would choose Ingwersen's variety. Or also great ground cover is Geranium cantabriense and a very reliable one here is Biokovo. Virtually evergreen too.
20 Sep, 2008